CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Carolina Panthers have made a decisive move regarding the future of quarterback Bryce Young, with general manager Dan Morgan announcing on January 13, 2026, that the team will exercise the fifth-year option on Young’s rookie contract. This decision ties the 24-year-old signal-caller to the Panthers through the 2027 NFL season, providing clarity at the game’s most critical position as the franchise navigates an offseason full of big questions.
Young’s journey to this point has been anything but straightforward. Drafted first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft after the Panthers traded a haul of picks and wide receiver DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears, expectations were sky-high from day one. But Young’s rookie campaign was a rough introduction to the pros: he finished 2-14 as a starter, throwing 11 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, and quickly found himself compared unfavorably to his draft class peers, notably C.J. Stroud, who took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
The turbulence didn’t end there. In his sophomore season, Young was benched in favor of veteran Andy Dalton after just two games. The message from new head coach Dave Canales was clear: Young needed to be more aggressive and take command of the offense. The young quarterback responded, reclaiming the starting job in Week 8 and closing the year with marked improvement—tossing 15 touchdowns to just six interceptions over the final 10 games, while adding 226 rushing yards and five scores on the ground. In the final three games of 2024, Young became the first quarterback since Drew Brees in 2019 to account for 10 total touchdowns without a single interception, a feat that hinted at the potential Carolina hoped for when they made him the face of the franchise.
Heading into the 2025 season, Young was firmly entrenched as the Panthers’ starter, and the payoff was immediate. He delivered a career-best campaign, completing 63.6% of his passes for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The Panthers, riding Young’s resurgence, captured their first NFC South title since 2015, finishing the regular season 8-9. While that record might seem modest, it was enough to edge out divisional rivals and secure a playoff berth—a significant milestone for a team that had struggled for years to find stability under center.
Young’s knack for late-game heroics became a storyline in itself. He notched six game-winning drives during the 2025 season, tying for the second-most in the NFL and bringing his career total to 12 since 2023—the most by any quarterback in that span. As Morgan put it, “I think Bryce has shown flashes of greatness this year against high-level competition.” That sentiment was echoed in the front office’s decision-making, with Morgan adding, “I just felt like he had a lot more command out there this year, and really just coming into his own and getting better every week and just attacking every day. And that’s really all you can ask for from any player, let alone your quarterback.” (via The Athletic’s Joseph Person)
The Panthers’ postseason, though brief, offered another glimpse of Young’s growth. In a wild-card showdown with the Los Angeles Rams, Young threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to rookie Jalen Coker with just 2:39 remaining, only for Matthew Stafford and the Rams to answer with a game-winning drive in the dying moments. Young finished the playoff tilt with 264 passing yards, a touchdown, an interception, and a rushing score—solid numbers in a high-pressure environment.
Financially, the fifth-year option locks in Young’s 2027 salary at a fully guaranteed $26.5 million, according to projections from Overthecap.com. While that’s a significant jump from his current average of $9.5 million per year, it still places him around the No. 20 spot among NFL quarterbacks in terms of pay. With the average starting quarterback now commanding $40–45 million annually, the Panthers’ move is a calculated bet: if Young continues his upward trajectory, his salary could look like a bargain in two years’ time.
Notably, the Panthers aren’t rushing into a long-term extension. Morgan, alongside executive vice president Brandt Tilis, made it clear that discussions about a multi-year deal for Young remain “up in the air.” As Morgan stated at his season-ending press conference, “We are still talking through the roster and where things look from a big picture view. That is still stuff that is up in the air that we are still working through at this point.” The team’s cautious approach reflects both Young’s uneven early career and the ever-rising cost of quarterback contracts in today’s NFL.
That uncertainty hasn’t stopped the Panthers from planning for the future. After relying on veteran backups for the past three seasons, Morgan indicated the team is open to bringing in a younger quarterback this offseason. Such a move would give Carolina flexibility: if Young continues to develop, they’ll have a capable backup; if his progress stalls, the team could pivot to a new starter without being handcuffed by a long-term, high-priced deal.
Young’s 2025 stats—while promising—still leave room for growth. His 188.2 passing yards per game and 87.8 passer rating didn’t crack the league’s top half, and the Panthers stumbled down the stretch, losing four of their last five games including the playoff defeat. Morgan acknowledged the team’s inconsistency, saying, “Just as a team we weren’t as consistent as we want to be on a game-to-game basis, but that’s part of what happens with a young team.”
Still, the flashes of brilliance and late-game poise have given Carolina hope that Young can become the franchise quarterback they envisioned when they moved mountains to draft him. The next two seasons will be pivotal: Young’s performance will not only determine his standing in the league but also shape the Panthers’ roster-building strategy and salary cap management for years to come. With the fifth-year option in place, Young’s 2026 cap hit will be $12 million, rising to $26.5 million in 2027—manageable figures if he continues to progress.
As the Panthers head into the offseason, all eyes will be on Young and his continued development. With the franchise showing faith by picking up his option but keeping extension talks on hold, the message is clear: the ball is in Young’s court. If he can build on his 2025 momentum, the Panthers’ gamble could pay off handsomely. If not, the team has ensured it isn’t locked into a long-term commitment, keeping its options open in the ever-evolving NFL quarterback landscape.
For now, Carolina’s quarterback question is answered—at least through 2027. The rest, as they say, will be decided on the field.